Where Do I Start?

Certain types of injuries almost always require that you consult an attorney. Abraham Lincoln said, “He who represents himself has a fool for a client.” There is good reason for following Honest Abe’s sage advice: Insurance companies are not your friends, even your own insurance company.

In every case, the insurance company is the puppeteer directing the defense. They have even lobbied and passed laws that prevent the judge or the attorneys from telling the jury that fact. So, the jury can’t be told whether the “nice” person who chose to violate a basic safety rule endangering us all and hurting you even has insurance.

The Lawrence Kahn Law Group, P.S. believes you have a right to participate in the legal process on a fair and equal footing with the insurance companies and corporate attorneys. We would be honored to be your caretaker in this process.

Questions EVERY client should ask

HOW DO CONTINGENCY FEES WORK?

Since few seriously injured people and their families can afford to pay lawyers $250 – $700 per hour like insurance companies and large corporations do, we believe that you should participate in the legal process on a fair and equal footing with them. So, the Lawrence Kahn Law Group, P.S. works on a contingency fee basis. Rather than charging hourly fees, our fee is a percentage of your recovery. If no recovery is made, you do not have to pay anything for our legal services and help. Simple.

WHAT PERCENTAGE WILL I HAVE TO PAY AS A CONTINGENCY FEE?

We do not have a set contingency fee rate. It depends on the type of case, the complexity of the case, the stage in the litigation when we are first contacted and many other factors. Generally, the firm’s fees range from 33.33% to 45% of the total recovery.

WILL I HAVE TO PAY LITIGATION COSTS? HOW MUCH WILL LITIGATION COSTS RUN?

Litigation is expensive. Insurance company and corporate lawyers like it that way since they get paid on an hourly basis. In addition to our contingency fee, there are also costs incurred for the best presentation of your case. These costs can include investigation, focus groups, witness fees, transcript fees, expert witnesses, exhibit preparation, jury fees, and countless other necessary preparatory expenses. There is no way to estimate in advance how much these costs will total because every case is different. We try to keep the litigation costs in proportion to the anticipated recovery.

As a practical matter, we “advance” the costs for you. At the end of the case, from your proceeds, and after our attorney fees are paid, you must reimburse us for those costs. It works that way with every law firm in the State of Washington because the law requires it.

HOW MUCH IS MY CASE WORTH?

What is the value of a human life and of your suffering and troubles? Every day juries struggle with this question for which there is no hard and fast answer. Each case presents different opportunities to explore value with good folks on the jury, your community neighbors.

Maybe you have heard the “diamond water paradox” (or the “paradox of value”)? Water is everywhere, even here in this room, and we assign little value to it as it is so plentiful, we give it away. Diamonds, on the other hand, are coveted and safeguarded because of their value derived from their scarcity. If I were to put a bag of diamonds in front of you next to a glass of water and told you to choose that which had more value to you, you would grab the diamonds. However, if we changed your perspective, placed you in the desert for three days, with no relief or water in sight, you would quickly change your value system as your life dwindled and water was needed for your very survival.

When we are young our health and longevity is like the water in a jug, abundant, ever present, seemingly without end, and consequently, as demonstrated through youthful actions and indiscretions, of little appreciated value. We trade our health for the risk of excitement and the vices of entertainment, confident that we will recover and rebound. Yet when we are older, nearer to the end of our days, we value that which gives us health, sustains our life, and our independence. We cherish our fading independence, and do all we can to preserve our health. Our health and independence is like water in the hot desert sun, priceless. Therefore, contrary to the argument often raised by defense lawyers to the effect that my client’s life should be devalued because they have lived a long life, I stress that due to the scarcity of days, they are the most valuable and cherished, and therefore more valuable than diamonds, here or in the desert.

The jury instructions used in Washington and California and in most jurisdictions throughout the United States all instruct the jury that there is no formula for determining the value of a case. In our experience, many factors influence values, including:

– The strength of the evidence establishing liability;

– The nature and extent of injury;

– The jurisdiction where the case is pending;

– And countless other intangible factors which differ from case to case.

We do not give a client or prospective client an evaluation of their case until we have looked at all relevant factors. Usually, this means that the value cannot be determined until well after the firm has become involved in the case and has had an opportunity to accumulate the information necessary to make an appropriate evaluation.

WARNING: Be leery of any lawyer or firm that claims that they can evaluate your case based on partial information. Anyone can state inflated values which have no tie to reality. Honest, qualified lawyers will not make empty promises, but will only give you evaluations when they have enough information to back them up.

AM I BETTER OFF SETTLING MY CASE OR TAKING IT TO TRIAL?

The simple fact is that nationally more than 90 percent of lawsuits settle before trial. Both sides recognize they may lose at trial and are willing to compromise to avoid this risk. The Trial Attorneys at the Lawrence Kahn Law Group, P.S. begin preparing your case for a full-blown jury trial from the moment we accept your case. Why? It is dirt simple: to obtain the best possible verdict or settlement for you.

THE ONLY TIME YOU WILL RECEIVE A FAIR SETTLEMENT IS WHEN THE OTHER SIDE KNOWS THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD CASE, YOUR LAWYER IS PREPARED AND IS READY, WILLING, AND ABLE TO GO TO TRIAL!

Based on our experience, we know when the time is right to start settlement negotiations for your case. We always discuss settlement issues with our clients before entering negotiations. We will NEVER settle your case without your express knowledge and consent. We work for you, not the other way around. You decide settlement or trial. We are always ready to do either.

If you have questions that are not covered in our Frequently Asked Questions or if your question was not fully answered, call or contact us today for additional information. We are honored to help.